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The degree of hormone-dependence of endometrial cancers may be evaluated by the presence and the rate of estradiol and mostly progesterone receptors in an endometrial fragment. The most differentiated tumors have a high receptor content, while anaplastic cancers are most of the time without them. They must be systematically determined regardless of other prognostic factors enabling to evaluate the prognosis and guide the treatment. It is presently facilitated by the method of immunochemical titration on histological section, available for estrogen receptors, disclosing the spatial and functional distribution of hormono-dependent cells.

A test is described for the evaluation of hormone sensitivity of endometrial cancer in vivo. The concentrations of progesterone and estradiol receptors, and the activities of ornithine-decarboxylase and 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxido-reductase enzymes have been measured in the tumor, before and after administration of the anti-estrogen tamoxifen. The responses observed, in particular the increase of progesterone receptor, could allow a more rational approach to hormonal therapy of endometrial cancer.

The case reported concerns a 76-year-old woman under treatment for a previously diagnosed "poorly differentiated endocervical adenocarcinoma". New biopsies revealed an adenocarcinomatous tumor with unexpected melanotic pigmentation. The patient underwent cesium therapy followed by colpohysterectomy with lymphadenectomy. As there were no metastases, external complementary radiotherapy was not used. Four months after surgery, a large recurrence was detected; surgical excision proved impossible but revealed a grossly pigmented tumor from which several samples were taken. The patient died 11 months after the first consultation. No autopsy was performed. Morphological study was done on the initial biopsy, on the uterine tumor and on the recurrent tumor, using histological, cytological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical techniques. Flow cytometry and biochemical study were also carried out on the recurrent tumor. All the samples studied histologically revealed uniform tumor morphology showing a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with an irregular distribution of melanin pigmentation (Fontana +). Electron microscopy confirmed the epithelial nature of the tumor, showing differentiated apical poles with villosities, linked by desmosomes. Basement membranes were irregularly present. Electron microscopy also demonstrated the melanotic nature of the pigmentation with melanosomes and premelanosomes. A few membrane-bound neurosecretory granules were seen. Immunohistochemistry showed that the tumor contains no S 100 protein and that no staining was obtained with monoclonal antibodies against malignant melanoma. Hormonal secretion and chromogranin were not detected. Tumor cells contained neither GFAP nor neurofilaments. Positive staining was obtained for neuron specific enolase and synaptophysin. Tumor cells contained three types of intermediate filament proteins = Vimentin, cytokeratins and peripherin (peripherin is an intermediate filament protein identified in 1984 by Portier, of the college of France, who very kindly supplied the antiserum and was good enough to do most of the biochemical study. Peripherin is considered to be characteristic of the peripheral nervous system. This case is the first example of demonstration of peripherin in a tumor). The biochemical study gave the following results: Cytosol assays for estrogen and progesterone receptors were negative. Vimentin, cytokeratins and peripherin were demonstrated by a study carried out in the Collège de France. No GFAP was found. A study of the metabolism of melanin derivatives showed high levels of urinary dopamine, serum and cytosol L. dopa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The authors review the literature concerned with the carcinogenic hazards of a long term exposure to talc. The epidemiological and experimental data are controversial, but, however, seem to be sufficient to draw attention to, and to introduce special precautions for occupationally exposed individuals. Large experimental and epidemiological studies should be undertaken.

In the present study the immunodetection of various markers in a large series of tissue samples have been analysed through the computerized system of image analysis referred to as SAMBA 200. The immunodetection of estrogen and progesterone receptors, Laminin and type IV collagen, Ki 67, keratin, papilloma virus have been performed in frozen sections or in imprints and fine needle aspirates from tumorous and non tumorous disorders of human breast, endometrium, cervix and ovaries. Staining procedures varied with the type of the marker studied (PAP, ABC-P, ABC-GO, APAAP). The results obtained by the multiparametric SAMBA analysis were accurate, reproducible and reliable. Therefore, the SAMBA analysis providing a standardized and automatic analysis of immunodetection performed in tissue sections can be routinely used in pathology laboratories particularly for the prognostic evaluation and for the prediction of hormonotherapy and chemotherapy response of patients with solid malignant disorders.

Basic studies developed from human cell lines or tissue biopsies have allowed to isolate monoclonal antibodies and complementary DNAs specific for tumoral antigens and rare proteins implicated in the control of cancer growth and invasiveness. Present clinical studies indicate that some molecular probes display a potential value as markers of tissue specificity, of hormone dependency or prognosis in breast and endometrial cancers.

Polyploidy level of experimentally induced deciduomata was determined by cytophotometric measures of DNA-Feulgen, with the "Ultramikrospektrophotometer UMSP Zeiss" by scanning. The antimesometrial tissue reached 32 n, 72 H after the uterine trauma, whereas the mesometrial part did not exceed a 4 n polyploidy level. With the same technics we studied the ovarian hormone, its action upon the blastocyst cellular cycle. In delayed blastocysts, synthesis was never found. OEstradiol removed the inhibition and DNA synthesis then starts again.

A case of uterine malignant mixed mesodermal tumor harboring endocrine cells is reported. Endocrine cells were immunocharacterized as serotonin, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide cells. This variety of mixed müllerian tumor is added to other endocrine cells-containing neoplasms of the uterus.